Ironworks Brewery & Pub – Lakewood, CO

Posted on June 5, 2014 by educyber

Ironworks Brewery & Pub is located in Lakewood, CO on Alameda Pkwy. Ironworks sits on the eastern edge of Green Mountain, a popular area for mountain bikers and hikers, and is only a 15 minute drive from Downtown Denver. Ironworks has been brewing craft beer for nearly 25 years, or as they describe themselves, “Suppliers of great beer to all beer drinkers of Lakewood, Colorado, since 1989” (www.Ironworkspub.com).

Ironworks Brewery & Pub was opened by a working class, blue collar iron worker that loved beer, and saved enough money to open his own brewery. The atmosphere at Ironworks is a direct reflection of the original owner’s blue collar roots, and has an industrial, hard-working feel. You’ve probably seen a movie where the main character works hard with their hands all day and can’t wait for the day to end. On the way home they stop at the local pub for a fresh beer from the tap, and have a beer with all of the other hard-working folks from the neighborhood. Ironworks could be the set for this type of scene. While Ironworks has an industrial, tough as nails appearance, their beer is outstanding, and as fresh as you will find anywhere in town.

Owner, Mike Mader (left), Master Brewer, Mike George (right)

I was able to meet with Owner, Mike Mader, and Master Brewer, Mike George. It was great to find out the background of the name, and the history of Ironworks Brewery & Pub. Ironworks was the first craft brewery in Lakewood, CO, and went nearly 25 years as the only brewery in Lakewood (Caution Brewing opened earlier this year). Ironworks has great history, and is a staple to those living in the Green Mountain area. The brewing equipment at Ironworks is the same equipment that was originally used in 1989. While the equipment is the same, ownership has changed, and the production at Ironworks is on the rise. Mike George was proud to share that Ironworks averaged 350 barrels per year, prior to last year. In 2013, Ironworks produced 852 barrels of beer! The goal is to increase this number in 2014, while keeping the same great quality that Ironworks currently offers its loyal beer drinkers.

Mike George has been brewing at Ironworks for two years. Prior to that he was a regular patron at Ironworks. Mike decided he wanted to try his hand at brewing, and started training at Estes Park Brewery. New to brewing, Mike worked at Estes Park Brewery and at Ironworks in order to learn as much as he could, often putting in 90 hour weeks. Eventually, Mike became the Master Brewer at Ironworks. Mike has been on a mission to improve the quality of all the beer at Ironworks, while also trying out new styles along the way. In my visit with Mike, it was obvious how much he loves beer, and that he puts everything he has into brewing great beer. He’s not happy sticking with the status quot, and is constantly stepping outside the box to try something new.

A cool new addition in 2013 was a hop garden in the back of the building at Ironworks. Ironworks has been busy growing hops of different varieties that will eventually be used in some of the beer at Ironworks. If you’ve never seen hops grown, you’ll have to check out the hop garden at Ironworks. Mike’s passion for hops is not just evident in the hop garden. He’s working on a coop with 30+ breweries in the Denver area to ensure they have great hops available to them. There have been shortages of hops in the past, that have made it difficult for some smaller breweries to have the hops they need. To find out a little about Mike’s hop coop, check out this link: http://www.hop.coop/.

The Beer! Ironworks has 9 beers available at this time. They rotate seasonals in addition to their regular lineup. Ironworks has a good assortment of different styles, and there is something for nearly any taste in beer. My neighbor, a beer lover and someone that visits a different brewery each week, says his favorite beer of any brewery he’s visited is the Green Mountain Pale Ale. I agree with him, the Green Mountain Pale Ale is an outstanding beer. Below is a full list of the current beers at Ironworks Brewery & Pub:

Alameda Amber (5.1% ABV): Employees and patrons have been having fun with this one! The Alameda Amber is an approachable blend of nutty malt character and a touch of citrus hops. It is a good all-around ale “with training wheels”. The hops won’t knock you out; nor will the malt sweetness glue your mouth shut. You will enjoy the subtle addition of Rye and Honey Malts that round out Alameda Amber.
Agave Wheat (5.4% ABV): Everyone’s favorite easy going style just got a new twist! This wheat beer includes the unique nuance of pure organic Agave Nectar and a hint of lime zest. The result is a sweet yet crisp and refreshing American Wheat. The allure of the agave leaves you wanting more.
Golden Crisp IPA (6% ABV):
Raspsody Rye Pale Ale (5.1% ABV)
Green Mountain Pale Ale (5.5% ABV): For those that enjoy hops but can’t commit to the extremes of India Pale Ale, we offer Green Mountain Pale. This Pale Ale is a pleasant blend of malt and hops. Enjoy the heady, mouthwatering aroma of citrussy domestic hops without the debilitating alcohol content. At 5.5% ABV, it won’t put you under the table before you’re ready!
Hop Killa IPA (6.8% ABV): The “Hop Killa” defies hop shortages, bringing you the resiny citrus blast that you crave in an American IPA. This beer has a fresh, clean hop presence that will leave you wanting more.Flavor and aroma additions include Summit, Mt, Hood, Northern and Columbus hops.
Krausen Kolsch
Chocolate Milk Stout (7% ABV)
The Bitchen’ Belgian White (5% ABV)

Ironworks brewed 32 different styles of beer in 2013. They plan on brewing 40 styles in 2014, as they’re constantly looking to try new things. The beer at Ironworks is extremely fresh. It goes straight from the fermentation vessels to the serving vessels, then over to the tap! At this time, Ironworks does not distribute their beer outside of the pub. They do fill growlers, or any 64 oz container for $11 (IPAs are $12.50). If you want to purchase an Ironworks growler, they go for $5.

Recently a bet between Colorado and California Congressmen included an Ironworks brew. If the Denver Broncos had lost to the San Diego Chargers last week, Ironworks would have sent their Pigskin Porter to California Congressman Scott Peters. According to Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter, “In Colorado, craft beer is as important as water to economic and job growth in our communities. As a Colorado Native, I’m confident the Broncos are going to Sic ‘Em when the Pigskin crosses the goal line.” While the Broncos won, and Ironworks didn’t ship off any of their beer, it’s pretty cool that they were included in this bet. I think it speaks to the quality of the beer at Ironworks that they were included in such a high profile bet.

Activities: Ironworks has many activities throughout the week. Below is a list of the activities included at Ironworks.
– Monday: Trivia Night
– Monday, Wednesday: Free Pool
– Tuesday: Service Industry Night
– Thursday, Sunday: Karaoke
– Saturday: Live Music

I had a fun visit with Mike George and Mike Mader at Ironworks Brewery & Pub. I was able to try out some of their beer, and really enjoyed the Battlecat Black IPA, and Green Mountain Pale Ale! Ironworks is a great example of a Colorado craft brewery that brews awesome small batch beers! I highly recommend visiting Ironworks, you will not be disappointed!

Ironworks Brewery & Pub
12354 West Alameda Parkway
Lakewood, CO 80228
Phone: 303-985-5818
www.IronworksPub.com

AC Golden Announces Special Release from Hidden Barrel Collection

Posted on January 22, 2014 by educyber

Golden, CO – Framboise Noir, an oak-aged sour from AC Golden Brewing Company’s Hidden Barrel Collection, goes on sale today in limited quantities in the Denver area.

Framboise Noir was aged in oak barrels for two months with blackberries from the Western Slope of Colorado. The result is a dry, yet creamy, red wine-colored sour with a complex taste of fresh plums, maple and oak, caramelized toffee and blackberry jam.

The beer is packaged in 750 ml bottles with a cork and cage seal and a unique, wooden label. The label material, from Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, is made of real cherry wood, which is backed with a special liner and adhesive to adhere to glass. Because the labels are real wood, each one is uniquely grained. No two labels are exactly the same.

“We thought a real wood label would be perfect to represent our Hidden Barrel Collection, since most of those offerings are aged in wooden whiskey and wine barrels,” said Glenn Knippenberg, president and co-founder of AC Golden Brewing. “It was a bit of a challenge but we have a great labeling partner in The Smyth Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. Smyth has been literally “posted up” on the leading edge of packaging innovation for as long as we have been associated with them. It is fun to be one of the very first to use this new type of label.”

The label material was introduced by Avery Dennison about a year ago. The challenge of producing wood label material that’s ideal for printing is to create a uniform thickness and smooth surface, while not losing the real grain of the wood. The label designs were created by Conor McMahon at The Integer Group.

About 89 cases of Framboise Noir are available in about 20 craft-centric liquor stores in the Denver metro area.

Framboise Noir is part of AC Golden’s Hidden Barrel Collection, which displays the brewer’s passion for experimenting with a variety of brewing materials and production methods. Other recent releases from the Collection include: Ctayt (Russian Imperial Stout), Peche, Apricot, Kriek and Checkpoint Charlie.

AC Golden Brewing Company, Golden, Colo., is a small batch brewery specializing in hand crafting beers for discerning drinkers. Among its beers are: Colorado Native, an amber lager made with 100 percent Colorado ingredients; Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve, a German-style lager; Barmen, a German-style pilsner, and Winterfest, a Vienna-style lager shared only during the holidays.

Caution Brewing’s Lakewood location opening this week!

Posted on December 18, 2013 by educyber

**Update: Caution Brewing in Lakewood is now open!** – December 21, 2013.

Craft beer drinkers in Lakewood are about to have a new craft brewery in their neighborhood. Caution Brewing Company has been planning to open their second location for months, and it looks like this week we’ll see the official opening. We’ll be sure to update everyone when the opening is official.

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

CAUTION: Lakewood Opens This Week!

[Lakewood, CO] CAUTION: Brewing Company’s latest expansion will be unleashed to the public during the week of Dec 16th, with exact date and time to be announced on social media. Lakewood’s first production microbrewery and taproom finally opens for business after months of planning and construction. With a taproom and covered patio seating for that can accommodate over 70 people, CAUTION: Brewing Company will bring their own brand of specialty beers to the Lakewood area.

Award winners such as Lao Wang Lager, Card Your Mom Saison, and Honey Matrimony Brown Ale will all be a part of a 16-tap draft system designed with experimental and unique recipes in mind. In addition to a regular list of flagship beers, CAUTION: Brewing Company will fill the remaining taps with new creations brewed on a new 3BBL system sourced from Minnetonka Brewing & Equipment Company.

As Denver’s first microbrewery to open a second brewery and taproom, CAUTION: Brewing Company has enjoyed success at it’s original location just outside of the Stapleton area. CAUTION: East, as it’s affectionately known, will remain CAUTION’s primary production and packaging facility, while providing beloved fans and friends the original taproom experience only CAUTION can provide.

Along with the opening of the CAUTION Lakewood location, CAUTION will also be releasing a new version of the VIP Groupie Growler program, rightfully named “Groupie Growler 2.0.” Each of the new limited edition, black 32oz. Liberty Bottleworks growlers will be individually numbered – and only 130 are available. Owners of the Groupie Growler will enjoy membership perks such as $6 growler fills, early access to special beer releases and special events reserved exclusively for VIPs. The limited edition VIP Groupie Growler program will retail for $50.

Surprises will be aplenty during opening, more details will be announced on social media at a later time. CAUTION invites you to join in their celebrating their new Lakewood location. Are you ready to #partywithcaution?

About CAUTION: Brewing Company

Having established itself as one of Denver’s best speciality microbreweries, CAUTION has been enjoyed by craft beer lovers in the Denver area since 2011. Founded by Betty and Danny Wang, CAUTION strives to produce well balanced beers made with a unique twist. By using as much Colorado raw ingredients as possible, CAUTION is proud to be a part of the Colorado craft beer family and have locations in both Denver and Lakewood. For more information, please visit – http://www.cautionbrewingco.com/ or social media sites:
Twitter: @cautionbrewing
Facebook: facebook.com/cautionbrewingco
Untappd: untappd.com/cautionbrewingco

CAUTION: Lakewood
1057 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Unit 60
Lakewood, CO 80226

CAUTION: Denver
12445 E. 39th Ave. Unit 314
Denver, CO 80239

Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub – Arvada, CO

Posted on November 13, 2013 by educyber

The Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub is located in Arvada a few blocks from Olde Town. Yak & Yeti operates from within what was once a historic Victorian Mansion, and has been transformed into one of the most unique places in Colorado to enjoy a freshly brewed craft beer. On top of the fresh craft beer served up at Yak & Yeti, visitors can also enjoy Indian and Nepalese Cuisine that is among the best in the State of Colorado.

The original structure at the present day Yak & Yeti Restaurant and Brewpub was built in 1864 by a man named Eli Allen. Allen was the second postmaster in Arvada, having taken over for Benjamin Wadsworth, who was the first postmaster in Arvada (Wadsworth is also where the name for Wadsworth Blvd came from). Eli Allen lived and worked out of the home until his son moved in and added onto the original home in 1891. The story of the home is quite interesting and includes stories of being haunted. For more information on all the history of the Yak & Yeti mansion, visit the About Us page on Yak & Yeti’s website.

The story of Yak & Yeti Brewpub is much more recent than the building it is located in. Yak & Yeti celebrated its 5 year anniversary as a brewery in 2013. Prior to being Yak & Yeti, an English brewpub called the “Cheshire Cat” operated out of the building. When Yak & Yeti first took over the building, they were not a brewery and the Owner, Dol Bhattarai, nearly sold all of the brewing equipment that came with the purchase of the building. Yak & Yeti had been operating a successful restaurant in Westminster, and was simply looking for a second restaurant location. After considering the possibilities of running a brewery, Dol decided to keep the brewing equipment, and to hire a brewer. Many people wonder how an Indian restaurant got into brewing – now you know.

Adam Draeger has been the head brewer for the Yak & Yeti Brewpub since 2011. A Wisconsin native, he did his undergraduate work in Engineering Physics. After a decade of engineering and homebrewing, he took the plunge to change careers. Adam studied at Siebel Institute in Chicago, IL and the Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany where he received his International Diploma from the World Brewing Academy.

When Adam took over the brewing operations, Yak & Yeti only had 3 beers on tap, and Adam made it his goal to change that. Adam is a fan of craft lager beers, but has done a great job of having a mix of different types of beers. I spent a couple hours taking the tour of the historic mansion, and getting a taste of many of the fresh beers Adam has created. It was evident in my visit with Adam that he’s a guy that loves beer, and he loves to talk about beer (he’s also very good at brewing beer). Yak & Yeti offers a well-diversified portfolio of beers on tap ranging from Belgian-style beers, German lagers, American ales, English ales and several specialty and seasonal offerings.

Wheat Beer Series – Brewed in the summer, a new beer is tapped weekly with fresh fruit served right in the keg.
Porter Series – a new beer is tapped weekly, but focuses on fruits, adjuncts and spices that compliment porters.
The Haunted Beer Series – Adam’s stage for debuting small experiment pilot batches that range from Russian Imperial Stouts to White IPA’s to spruce beers and many other. The series gets its name from the stories of Yak & Yeti being haunted.

Beer List: Yak & Yeti offers 6 standard beers, which are available all year. They also offer some great seasonals (including the Oktoberfest, which was awesome). Below is a list of the standard beers you will find at Yak & Yeti. To view the entire beer list, visit their Crafted Beer Page. Yak & Yeti won’t be found in liquor stores, but can be found around Denver at many taphouses that specialize in craft beer. If you want to take some fresh Yak & Yeti beer home with you, they have growlers available for any of their standard beers, and whatever seasonals they have on tap.

Namaste Pilsner – 5.1% ABV. ~ 34 IBUs (available year round)
Our Pilsner is a Northern German style hopped with German Tettnanger hops. Third Place winner at 2011 Colorado State Fair.
Himalayan IPA – 6.3% ABV. ~ 70 IBUs (available year round)
Our 2010 GABF-winning India Pale Ale is dry-hopped with Columbus and Cascade hops right before being transferred into the serving vessel. This isn’t East-coast or West-coast style IPA but rather pure Rocky Mountain gold.
Chai Milk Stout(*has lactose) – 5.2% ABV.~30 IBUs (available year-round)
This stout is our flavored version of the milk stout. The Chai tea spices are the Yak and Yeti’s own blend. A perfect dessert drink.
Jalapeño Lena – 5.1% ABV. ~ 34 IBUs (available year round)
A light-colored but full flavored Jalapeño pepper beer. Huge fresh aroma from the pepper served right inside the keg! Some say it isn’t that hot, others can’t handle it. You decide. We also make red beers called Bloody Lena’s!
GF Apple Ale – 4.9% ABV. ~ 0 IBUs (available year round)
GF stands for gluten-free as this ale is made iwht cider and sorghum. Looks like a cider, tastes likes a cider but is still technically an ale. (a hop pellet for good measure)
West-Coast Glutton (DIPA)- 9.5%ABV.~150 IBUs (available year round)You like them RED, BIG & Hoppy?! This Double Red/DIPA is a Centennial and Cascade-hopped behemoth that gives some unique citrus and resiny flavors/aromas.

Beer Festivals: Yak & Yeti is an active participant in beer festivals across the state. Here are a few places you will most likely find them:

GABF (Great American Beer Festival) – Denver, CO
Vail Big Beer Festival – Vail, CO
Brewers’ Rendezvous – Salida, CO
Epic Beer Festival – Denver, CO

Awards: For a small brewery, Yak & Yeti has picked up some big awards. Here’s a list of what they’ve won, and where the won it.

2010: Gold Medal for the Himalayan IPA (American Style Extra Pale Ale, GABF)
2011: Bronze Medal for the Namaste Pilsner (Pilsner category, Colorado State Fair)
2012: Bronze Medal for the Honey Ginger Soda (Soda category, Colorado State Fair)
2013: Bronze Medal for the Honey Ginger Soda (Soda category, Colorado State Fair)
2013: Silver Medal for the Chai Milk Stout (Urban Spiced, GABF)
2013: Bronze Medal for the Himalayan IPA (Fresh Ales/IPA/DIPA), Colorado State Fair)

I had a great visit with Adam and learned a lot about Yak & Yeti, and the awesome beer they brew. I would highly recommend a visit for the food, and of course for their beer. The atmosphere at Yak & Yeti is truly unique, and one that will impress anyone that has an interest in history. Even those that don’t drink beer will have the ability to enjoy a fresh brew – the Honey Ginger Soda is very good. The Chai Milk Stout is one of the most unique beers I’ve ever tried, and has won awards for good reason. If you love craft beer made in Colorado, a trip to Yak & Yeti is a must! Thanks Adam for the tour, and of course for sharing your fresh craft beer.

Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub
7803 Ralston Road
Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 431-9000
www.theyakandyeti.com

Prost Brewing 1st Anniversary Celebration: August 19th – 25th

Posted on August 18, 2013 by educyber

Prost Brewing Company is celebrating their 1st Anniversary August 19th -26th. Prost is known for brewing authentic German-style biers with brewing equipment that was brought over from Germany. We visited Prost back in May and were really impressed with their outstanding beers, and the history behind the equipment and recipes they use. If you’ve never been down to Prost, next week would be a great time to make your first trip. Of course, if you’ve already been to Prost, you will also want to head down for the festivities. Great beer, a fun patio and good people will make the experience one for all to enjoy. Prost Brewing is located at 2540 19th Street Denver, CO 80211 (across I-25 from Coors Field).

Check out the schedule below – there are activities planned all week!

Beer By Design Brewery Grand Opening today in Northglenn

Posted on June 28, 2013 by educyber

The latest craft brewery to hit the Colorado craft beer scene is set to officially open today in Northglenn, CO. Beer By Design Brewery, the creation of President & Head Brewmaster Vince Sabbe and General Manager Rich Aggen will officially open up for business today at 4:30 PM. Following the Grand Opening, Beer By Design Brewery will be open 7 days a week.

Beer By Design offers 3 unique brew series. As they put it “We celebrate the history of craft brewing while introducing new and innovative flavors. Explore each series to find your favorite flavors.”

Beer By Design’s 3 Brew Series:

Architectural Series: As our most famous American architects perfected their well-known works through careful attention to design, so has the Beer By Design Brewery in perfecting these four finely crafted beer styles. We dedicate these flavors to those architectural artists and your enjoyment.
Mountain Ale Series: This series celebrates the majestic design of the Rocky Mountains, with their scaling heights, rugged peaks and refreshingly cold water. In fact, Rocky Mountain water is one of the finest water sources anywhere, and its taste is a key ingredient to all of our carefully designed beers.
Women & Beer Series: Designed as a tribute to the many women who have contributed their talents to the craft brewing industry as well as all those who embrace the freshness and flavor of craft beer. The beers in this series emphasizes a superior malt complexity and somewhat subdued hop character, while at the same time maintaining a well balanced taste profile.

Following the American craft beer style, Beer By Design’s beers use the finest two-row grains, hops and yeast. Special mashing and kettle processes, developed by Brewmaster Vance Sabbe, are observed. These uniquely refined brewing techniques help create beers that are cleaner tasting and more visually appealing than most other craft beers. This is accomplished without the use of flavor-stripping filtration devices or additives.

I look forward to visiting Beer By Design Brewery and trying out some of their beers. They offer roughly a dozen beer choices, so there are styles for pretty much any taste. I wish Beer By Design Brewery the best of luck, and hope that they have a great grand opening celebration today! If you’re interested in checking them out, see their info below.

Beer By Design Brewery
2100 E. 112th Street
Northglenn, CO 80233
(303) 517-2202

Factotum Brewhouse: A homebrewer’s dream come true

Posted on June 23, 2013 by educyber

Factotum Brewhouse will be the first brewery to cater to homebrewers when it opens this fall in Denver, Colorado. Guest brewers will have the opportunity to brew their recipe on Factotum’s seven barrel system and the beer will then be served to thirsty taproom patrons. With help from headbrewer Christopher Bruns, homebrewers will learn the steps of commercial brewing from recipe creation to the brewing process to the taproom release of the beer. This concept was originally designed for serious homebrewers who wish to receive honest, unbiased feedback from the public but recreational brewers, new brewers, and small groups are also welcome to use Factotum’s services. Christopher will act as quality control and to ensure the tap lineup isn’t dominated by any one style: “If six people come in wanting to brew an IPA, they can either wait in line or decide to brew something else,” says Christopher. Six of Factotum’s eventual eight taps will pour homebrewer beers while the remaining two will pour beers made by Christopher.

Brother-and-sister team Christopher and Laura Bruns conceived of the Factotum model over dinner with their other two siblings and have since graduated from Denver’s Small Business Development Center’s business start-up class, as well as Tom Hennessy’s renowned Brewery Immersion Course at the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery in Ridgway, Colorado. Christopher and Laura’s Midwestern, German-American upbringing has instilled in them a passion for beer and they’re mutual background in education compels them to make Factotum a school as much as it is a brewery; Factotum isn’t just a place to drink great beer but also a place to learn about beer. Located at 4735 Lipan Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Factotum is moving into an already established craft beer community with Stomp Them Grapes homebrew supply store two doors down, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project ½ mile away, and the upcoming Diebolt Brewing Company one mile away.

Christopher and Laura Bruns hope local beer lovers will use the close proximity to ride their bicycles and safely visit all these fine establishments. Factotum’s setting, like so many in the Denver area, is an industrial one and the taproom ambiance will complement that setting with a rustic, factory, wood-and-metal atmosphere. However, this location means Factotum is lacking somewhat in natural light. Please visit Factotum’s Kickstarter.com page so that Christopher and Laura may make improvements to the taproom including the purchase of a glass-paneled garage door to bring sunshine into the brewery.

Factotum Brewhouse
4735 Lipan Street
Denver, CO. 80211
303-303-3003
www.factotumbrewhouse.com

(Factotum Brewhouse is still working on their website. To find them online, visit their facebook or twitter pages)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FactotumBrewhouse

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FactotumBrew

Caution Brewing To Open 2nd Location In Lakewood, CO.

Posted on May 21, 2013 by educyber

Caution Brewing Company is currently located in Northeast Denver. They announced last week they will be opening a 2nd location, which will be in Lakewood, CO. This 2nd location will make Caution the 2nd craft brewery in the City of Lakewood. Currently Ironworks is the only craft brewery in Lakewood. This is surprising given the fact that Lakewood is Colorado’s 5th largest city.

According to their website, “CAUTION soon to be had with more CAUTION! We just announced the lease signing of our second location. Want more details? Come to our anniversary party on May 18th! You can’t say no to 16 beers on tap, live music, and big wheel races, right?”

The 2nd location for Caution Brewing will be at 1057 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Unit 60. The new location will have a larger taproom than the Denver location and will be more retail-oriented. Caution’s Owner Danny Wang says he plans on being “more hyperlocal,” working with area businesses, such as homebrewing shop Barley Haven. This Lakewood taproom is slated to open in October, and will have 12 taps with 4-6 regular, or “flagship” beers. Caution also plan to can and sell Lao Wang Lager in 4-packs of 16 oz cans.

Caution Brewing Company
12445 E 39th Ave #314 Denver, CO 80239
(970) 315-2739

Lakewood Location:
1057 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Unit 60
Lakewood, CO. 80226

Prost Brewing Company – Denver, CO.

Posted on May 20, 2013 by educyber

Prost Brewing Company is located in the Lower Highland Neighborhood (LoHi) in Denver, CO. The brewery is just west of I-25 on 20th Street, directly across the highway from Coors Field. Prost Brewing is near a handful of other breweries, but the types of beers they brew make them stand out from other brewers in the area. Prost specializes in German-style biers. Not only do they specialize in German-style biers, they brew in German equipment that was brought over from a historic German brewery.

Prost Brewing Company opened its doors on August 23rd, 2012. The name Prost, is a German word that translates to ‘To your health’, or ‘cheers’. Prost’s name, equipment, and ingredients all add up to a distinct all-German style that is quite unique in the growing Colorado craft beer scene. Prost adheres to what is called the ‘German Purity Laws’, which are a set of laws that German biers should be brewed with. These laws started in 1516, and were designed to ensure bier contained only high-quality ingredients. The laws protected the public from poor standards, and potentially lethal, beverages. Reinheitsgebot, as the laws are called in German, also brought about a standardization in production well ahead of its time. Foreign brewers who wanted to enter the local market also had to stick to the law and so its influence began to spread far and wide. The laws have changed over time, but they still keep brewers focused on creating quality biers with quality ingredients.

Prost Brewing’s Kopper Kettles

Prost Brewing has a plan and sticks to that plan. They want to provide the best German-style biers that can be found locally. They don’t care to brew big beers, or beer that does not fit in the German-style. When you do something well, why not stick to it? That is exactly what Prost Brewing has done, and they have quickly made a big name for themselves with Colorado beer drinkers. Bill Eye is the Head Brewer at Prost, and is a veteran Colorado brewer, with 16 years of professional brewing experience. Prior to joining Prost, Bill was the Founding Brewer at Dry Dock Brewing Company. Bill studied brewing in Germany, and developed a love of German-style biers. Bill’s experience and education played a major part in forming the way Prost brews, and the way the run their taproom.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with David Boone (he goes by Boone), VP of Sales & Events for Prost Brewing. Boone was happy to share the story of Prost, and of course the reason why they have grown so fast. It’s the fresh, great-tasting beers they serve from the tap. Boone has 13+ years experience in the brewing industry, and as he describes it, he “has the best job in the world!” Boone is yet another story I’ve heard of someone that didn’t set out to be in the brewing industry, but once they experienced it, they couldn’t get enough. Boone was actually a high school science teacher for five years prior to returning to the craft beer industry. The last brewery Boone was involved with prior to joining Prost was a four year stint with Bristol Brewing Company in Colorado Springs, serving as the State Sales Manager. To say Boone is passionate about Prost’s German-style biers is a massive understatement. He is truly a great ambassador for the brand, and will go out of his way to share Prost’s story with you. I met Boone at the Breckenridge Beer Festival and he was happy to take a few minutes to talk about the brewery.

The original control panel, still used today!

The story of the equipment Prost Brewing Company uses is really cool. Prost brought over brewing equipment from a city in Germany called Grafenau. The equipment was originally built in 1963 by Ziemann GmbH, and installed at the Bucher Brau, where it was used until 1984. In 1984, it was overhauled and sold to Brauerei Hummer of Breitengubach, Germany, a village in the Franconian region of Bavaria. Brauerei Hummer started brewing beer in the Franconian village of Breitengubach in 1642. The brewery served the town for over 350 years until the spring of 2011. At that point, the brewing equipment was purchased by Prost Brewing Company, and brought over to brew German-style biers for the people of Colorado. This sounds easier than it actually was, the process was a major undertaking. Bill Eye had to disassemble the equipment to package it for transport. He then had to reassemble it in order to be able to use it. It’s a good thing Bill studied brewing in Germany because in order to use the equipment, you have to be able to read German.

Prost brought in German equipment for brewing, then added massive fermenters and lager vessels to complete their brewery. The lager vessels are actually converted dairy tanks, and hold 4,000 gallons each! You really have to see them in person to understand how large they really are. Once Prost brews their biers, they will sit for between 4-8 weeks depending on the style. Ales go to the lager vessels for 24 days to complete the aging process. Prost is proud to brew with German equipment, and all German hops and malts.

4,000 gallon lager vessels

Prost Brewing Company offers great biers, and do so in a way most brewers would never try. Prost distributes their biers only in 64 oz. growlers, and kegs. There are no 6-packs of bottles, cans or 22 oz. bombers. You can visit the Prost taproom and get a fresh pour from the tap, or you can visit many taprooms, restaurants and bars around the state. You can also buy a growler from a quickly growing number of stores around the state. You will not miss the site of a Prost growler in the beer case at a retailer. It is uncommon in most stores to see growlers, and this is a way Prost stands out from other brewers. The growlers include labels that incorporate the colors of the German flags from the regions of Germany the bier styles come from. Another unique aspect to Prost’s growlers, is they offer a recycling program. If you bring back a growler to the retailer, or directly to Prost, you will get $1 off your next purchase. Prost is able to distribute growlers because they use a method of packaging where they heat flash shrink-wrap the top, which creates a seal that can last 60-120 days, depending on the style of bier. Typically beer in growlers will lose freshness in less than a week.

Prost Brewing has a nice, clean taproom, and offers a fun family friendly environment. Something of note is that Prost has a program for Rockies fans. If a fan brings in a ticket stub for that day’s game, they can park for free, and get a 1/2 price beer before and after the game. Coors Field is a short walk, so if you plan to enjoy a Rockies game, be sure to head over to Prost first. Prost also offers live music on Thursdays for those that enjoy fresh beer and music. There is no kitchen at the taproom, but they do offer Baker Street soft pretzels. Tony P’s, a local Italian restaurant delivers exclusively to Prost. Patrons at Prost are also encouraged to bring in their own food to pair with a fresh German style bier.

Events – Here’s a list of events where you can find Prost Brewing:

Colorado Brewers’ Festival (Fort Collins, June 22-23)
Colorado Brewers Rendezvous (Salida, July 13th)
Evergreen Summer Brew Fest (Evergeen, July 20-21)
Mile High Station Brew Fest (Denver, CO, July 26th)
Keystone Bluegrass & Beer Festival (August 3-4)
Winter Park Brew Fest (Winter Park, August 10th)
Autumn Gold – A Festival of Bands, Brats and Beer (Estes Park September 21-22)
Prost Brewing Event Calendar: http://www.prostbrewing.com/Events.html

I want to thank David Boone, Bill Eye, and all of the other partners for having me at Prost Brewing, and for the tour of the brewery. They truly are a unique brewery, and brew some outstanding biers! I really enjoyed the Prost Pilsner, which honestly might be the smoothest beer I’ve ever tried. It is light, and refreshing, especially on a hot day. My favorite bier of the day was the Maibock, which is a light, crisp and clean Spring bier. The Maibock is a seasonal brew, so it is not always on tap at Prost. I would highly recommend heading down to try this awesome bier!

Beer List: There is an Altbier in the works, as well as a Kolsch seasonal, and the Maibock is currently available for a limited time. The Altbier may become another staple in addition to the three staple biers Prost currently has.

Altfränkisches Dunkel Bier – Brewed with a 350 year old recipe! This is a dark amber lager made in the world famous brewing area around Bamberg, Germany. They are characterized by their smooth malty flavor. The Franconian version differs from the dark lagers of Bavaria by being slightly stronger and drier. Dunkels have a distinctive malty flavor that comes from a special brewing technique called decoction mashing. We are reviving the Altfränkisches Dunkel Bier from the Hümmer Brauerei in Breitengüßbach, the brewery whose brewhouse now resides in Denver, Colorado at Prost Brewing.
Prost Pils – This is a northern German staple and our flagship beer. This is a crisp, pale and dry interpretation of the style. Well hopped with noble German varieties and a special strain of yeast from a German monastery. Prost Pils is pale gold in color and capped with a thick, brilliantly white, dense collar of foam. With the first sip spicy hop flavors come to the forefront. As the hop begins to fade, the wonderfully soft imported pilsner malt is revealed. The finish, with its herbal, pleasantly lingering hop note balanced by a rich malt counterpoint, demands another taste.
Weißbier – With flavors of banana and clove this Bavarian specialty is well known within our market. Our head brewer has won a number of medals with Hefeweizen including: Silver in 2009 and 2010 and Gold in 2011 at the GABF in the Southern German Hefeweizen category. As well he won the best of show with Hefeweizen at the Colorado state fair in 2011.
Marzen – Oktoberfest (Seasonal) – Marzen is a lager, orange/reddish in color, the style is characterized by a medium to full body, malty flavor and clean dry finish. Typically served in a Maß. 5.6 ABV (alcohol by volume) 22 IBU (international bittering units).
Seasonals Include: Marzen (Oktoberfest Lager), Kolsch, Export Lager, DoppelBock, Eisbock, Bock, Maibock, and any other German bier Bill can pull out of his sleeve!

Prost Brewing Company
2540 19th Street
Denver, CO 80211
303.729.1175

AC Golden Brewing – Golden, CO

Posted on May 8, 2013 by educyber

AC Golden’s Copper Kettles

AC Golden Brewing Company is located in Golden, CO, and operates out of a small section of the Coors facility. AC Golden brews in what was once the pilot brewery for Coors – which focused on trying new recipes and qualifying new varieties of barley and hops. AC Golden Brewing Company was founded by Pete Coors in 2007, and is run by President and Co-Founder, Glenn (Knip) Knippenberg. As Knip describes the company “At AC Golden all we care about is the customer. Our goal is to brew quality beer that our customers will enjoy.”

In 2007, Pete Coors was looking for a way to be able to create good new beers without breaking the bank to do it. Over the years, Coors, Miller and Anheiser Busch had attempted to market many new beers, and had seen their efforts add up to the loss of large amounts of money. Pete had the idea to start a small, separate company that would be able to focus on brewing new beers, selling them locally and using a smaller geography to determine whether or not to expand them. He also envisioned a separate sales force to avoid distracting the mainstream salesforce – who needed to keep their eye on the brands that paid the bills…Coors, Miller Lite, Blue Moon, etc. The new company would be able to focus efforts on the most important thing – the beer.

Glenn (Knip) Knippenberg originally starting working for Coors in 1983. He left the company and was living in Kentucky when he got the call from Pete. Pete invited Knip to come back to Colorado to run AC Golden, which was going to focus on small-batch beers. As Knip put it “Coming back was a no-brainer, it was a great idea and I knew it was what I wanted to do.” The opportunity to brew craft beers was too good for Knip to pass up. In April 2007, AC Golden Brewing Company officially began brewing in the old pilot brewery at Coors. They expanded the capacity from 1,000 barrels annually, to 8,000 barrels by adding a new fermentation cellar, commissioned in January 2010.

I had the great opportunity to spend time with the team at AC Golden last week. After sitting down with Knip for a few minutes, it is obvious he loves what he does, and he brings a passion to the team at AC Golden. Pete Coors definitely knew what he was doing when he asked Knip to run the company. Knip is happy to talk about AC Golden, and especially its most popular brand, Colorado Native Lager. On top of meeting with Knip, I was also able to meet with Head Brewer, Jeff Nickel and Brewers Steve (Fletch) Fletcher, Jason zumBrunnan and Ben Knutson. Everyone on the team was excited to discuss their role – and especially the beers they brew. They were all smiling quite a bit too – I’m guessing the beer might have had something to do with that! I know it definitely brought a smile to my face. I can’t explain how great it was to meet them all, and to find out about AC Golden Brewing Company.

AC Golden Brewing Company is best known for Colorado Native Lager, which is a very unique beer for a few reasons. Colorado Native is brewed with all Colorado ingredients. The barley, hops, yeast and water are all sourced from within the great state of Colorado. To take it a step further, Colorado Native Lager is only available for sale in Colorado. To say this is a unique beer is putting it lightly. AC Golden came up with a great idea, but they also did a ton of work to make it possible to actually brew this beer. To be able to source hops from Colorado, AC Golden actually got involved in the process of growing hops. They set out to find farmers that could grow for them. They also planted different hop varieties on the Coors farm in Center, CO. They started with 8 types of hops and eventually narrowed this down to 3 hops – the 3 that are currently used in Colorado Native Lager (Cascade, Centennial and Chinook). Once they figured out which hops to use, AC Golden found more farms in the San Juan Valley, and Western Slope that were able to grow those hops as well. Today, there are 11 Colorado farms that grow hops that are used in Colorado Native Lager!
AC Golden Brewing Company is best known for Colorado Native Lager, but they brew other beers that are very good as well. Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve is a German style lager, and is also only available in 16 restaurants in Colorado. Born of German heritage dating back to 1868, Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve recipe combines the finest European and North American hops with prized Moravian two-row barley. Herman Joseph was Adolph Coors’ two middle names.

Winterfest is the third beer that AC Golden currently brews. Winterfest is a limited release beer, just for the holidays. It was originally brewed just for friends and family. 2013 will mark the 27th year for Winterfest. The more it was shared, the more popular it became, and the more of it was brewed. Winterfest is also brewed with Moravian two-row barley malt with choice hops from the Hallerrtau region of Germany.

The fourth beer brewed by AC Golden is a German Pilsner called Barmen. Barmen Pilsner was first brewed in what is now the AC Golden Brewing Company. It was initially offered on November 12, 1997. The brewing was later moved to the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field. In February of 2012, Barmen brewing was moved back to AC Golden Brewing Company. Barmen was born of Pete Coors’ desire to brew a German Pilsner that tastes exactly like the great pilsners of northern Germany. The beer was named after Barmen, Germany; birthplace of Adolph Herman Joseph Coors. Barmen is offered in only a few bars and restaurants in and around Golden, CO. To ensure you enjoy the full Barmen experience, bars and restaurants offering Barmen are requested to honor the traditional “German Seven-Minute Pour” and to serve the beer in the proper Barmen branded pilsner glass. When properly poured, it should look like this.

I was able to find out about some new things in the works at AC Golden. The brewers are working on some new beers that should be released later this year or possibly next year. I can’t provide too much info about that, but I’m looking forward to it! I was able to sample some sour beers the brewers are aging in oak barrels at the pilot brewery. These were a nice change of pace, and much different than any of the other beer offerings from AC Golden. The brewers were really excited to talk about the flexibility they have to work on new styles and recipes – and ultimately the next production beer they will be releasing.

Oak aging new recipes at AC Golden

My visit to AC Golden Brewing Company was great for many reasons. It was awesome to learn how the company works, and to be able to dispel some misconceptions about the brewery (which I believed myself). Many beer enthusiasts, and other brewers, think that AC Golden is just Coors coming up with new packaging and marketing campaigns. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The team at AC Golden is small, and passionate about brewing great craft beer. They want their customers to get world-class beer, and they use the best ingredients in order to make this possible. In fact, AC Golden is so passionate about their hops, they have done a great deal to introduce the crop to many farmers in Colorado. I sat down with Brewer Steve (Fletch) Fletcher for a solid 20 minutes just talking about the selection of hops.

Another misconception about AC Golden is that they brew with the same equipment as Coors. This is not true. The equipment they use was part of the the pilot brewery, but is very small in comparison to the large brewery. The AC Golden brew kettle is 30 barrels while the Coors brew kettles are closer to 500 barrels. AC Golden operates in its own section of the brewery, has its own brewers, and operates completely separate from Coors. There is a separate sales team, marketing team, and leadership team. It was nice to see this first hand as I had heard a few theories as to how the company operated, and they were all pretty far off base.

I would like to thank everyone at AC Golden Brewing Company for a great visit. I thoroughly enjoyed talking, sampling beers, and touring the pilot brewery. If you are a craft beer drinker and want to try a great local beer, definitely try Colorado Native Lager. Colorado Native has a rich, full-flavor with slight fruitiness, and clean finish. Just make sure you are in Colorado, or you won’t be able to find it! Of course, you can always try Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve, Barmen, or Winterfest when they are available as well. I’ve added beer locators below:

AC Golden Brewing Company
1221 Ford St.
Golden, CO. 80401
https://www.coloradonative.com/

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